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“What? I’m serious. He looks like Aaron’s dad. If he was Asian.”

“Mom.” I opened the door, ready to leave, and said, “I’m tired. Alice is with Felix, so if you need anything, call me or Katie, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied. She looked lonely sitting alone on the bed. Dad had passed away years ago from sudden arrhythmia in his sleep. She had lost the purpose of being a good wife when he died and being a good mother when we all moved out, leaving her alone with the ghosts of memories. We tried to be with her as much as we could, even though her personality was not the best to get along.

“Anna,” she called out. I looked over my shoulder. “Don’t make the same mistake you made with Timothy.”

I was confused but nodded. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, honey.”

I didn’t know I had already reached my hotel room until I found two tall men leaning on the opposite door, their hands in their pockets.

“You were waiting for me?” I asked, nearing the door. Their posture was relaxed, but I sensed heavy sexual tension between them. It had been lingering ever since I saw them sitting together at the wedding, but it had increased tenfold since the elevator.

“Of course, pretty,” Caleb said, flashing a charming smile and coming closer. “I won’t be able to sleep with the blue balls you gave me.”

My cheeks flushed and I looked away from him and opened my hotel room door with a card. It beeped and opened, the lock flashing its green light.

“Was your mother okay?” Kyle asked, his voice closer than before.

“Kyle, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to talk about her mom after we almost fucked her in the elevator.” Caleb’s words made my eyes widen, and I turned to reprimand him.

But Kyle was right behind me, pushing me into my room and locking the door behind him.

“Hey!” Caleb’s voice was muffled as he furiously knocked on the door. “Open the door!”

Kyle sighed and looked at me. He cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses. “I needed to talk to you alone.”

“Okay,” I said, jumping when Caleb knocked rather harshly.

“Kyle, open this door now before I do.”

Kyle ignored him and held my hand, gently pulling me into my room and sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Anna, before we go further, I want to make sure if you… l-like me.”

17

YOU ARE A DREAM

ANNA

Kyle wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at the plain rug.

I swallowed, ignoring Caleb’s insistent knocking and threats being thrown at the sweet man sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. It hadn’t been twenty-four hours when I had Caleb on the same bed with me, his pretty face between my thighs.

I cleared my throat and focused on my sweet neighbor.

“Kyle.” I held his hand and squeezed it. His fingers were long and dexterous, his palm bigger than mine. “I have always liked you.”

His dark brown eyes peered from my lips to my eyes as I continued. “I mean, I’ve always found you handsome, but never acted on it.”

“Until today?”

I nodded. “Until today.”

His thumb was rubbing on my knuckles in slow circles, making me calm. I’ve always felt relaxed with him on my side. My head seemed quiet, and I could let go, knowing he’d take care of me.

He wasn’t like Caleb. Intense, dark and mischievous. He made me feel safe as well, but there was something hidden about him that it prevented me from fully letting go.